novelraw Chapter 751 - 730: Peace
Chapter 751 - 730: Peace
After the court session, Xie Jue came to find Xie Xun. Xie Xun didn’t even have time to escape, nor could he come up with an excuse to visit Fengyu. Although Fengyu had given him the advice to act first and report later, she would absolutely not face Second Brother’s wrath alongside him. Instead, she would mercilessly abandon him. True to form, the palace maid said the Empress had gone to the academy early in the morning.
"Why did you let Fang Chuning join the diplomatic mission? You’ve always disliked him being too close to me. Have you had a change of heart this time?" Xie Jue exclaimed angrily. He had finally resolved to draw a clear line with Fang Chuning, yet his oblivious younger brother had thrown a wrench in his plans, insisting on putting them in close proximity day and night. To the uninformed observer, it might even seem like he and Fang Chuning were the real brothers, scrambling to create opportunities for one another.
Xie Xun felt deeply wronged. Among everyone in Marquis Zhenbei Mansion, he had always been the least afraid of Xie Jue. This was the case before the upheaval in the Marquis Mansion. After the upheaval, he became somewhat more deferential to Xie Jue, almost following his words to the letter, rarely talking back.
But even he had his own considerations and bottom lines. Xie Xun explained, "The Sannan situation is complex and entangled. The King of Sannan fears you yet needs you. If he develops a murderous intent, I wouldn’t be at ease without someone capable at your side. Even with Lin Xiao, Zhang Boxin, and the others, I still worry because they can’t restrain you. If you act recklessly and take dangerous gambles, there wouldn’t be anyone around to stop you. The Shadow Guards obey only your commands. Regardless of whether your orders are reasonable or not, they’ll execute them. Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin wouldn’t dare contradict you either. In this kind of situation, I must assign someone who can keep you in check, to prevent you from risking your safety. And let’s face it, the only person you’ll actually listen to is Fang Chuning. What else could I do?"
Xie Jue was speechless. "..."
Since ascending the throne, he had failed to notice that this kid’s cunning had intensified, to the point of scheming against his own elder brother. Yet Xie Xun’s reasoning was undeniably sound, leaving him with no counterargument.
Back in the day, if it hadn’t been for Fang Chuning being able to rein him in during their time in Beiman, he would probably not have made it back alive after several reckless gambles. However, the circumstances of those years differed from today. In the past, he had been single-mindedly determined to dismantle Beiman quickly; the court was plagued with internal and external troubles, and the war couldn’t afford delays. Now, the situation in Sannan wasn’t as urgent from Xie Xun’s perspective. It didn’t require Xie Jue to take risks. He simply needed to fulfill his role as an envoy: eat well, drink well, engage in friendly exchanges, and return safely. As for reclaiming Sannan, Xie Xun had all the time in the world to meticulously plan. He was still young and in no rush. The ones feeling the urgency were the Sannan Royal Family, who were bound to act in desperation.
"You seem awfully at ease about this. The mission and return journey will take at least several months. Aren’t you worried about him and me becoming too close?" Xie Jue teased, deliberately trying to provoke him.
Xie Xun barely resisted the urge to lash out like a cornered animal but managed to suppress it, maintaining an air of imperial authority. "What is Second Brother even talking about? I don’t understand. Didn’t you two already sever ties, vowing never to associate again? His only duty is to serve as your guard and ensure your safety."
Anything beyond that was none of his concern!
Xie Jue replied, "We indeed planned to cut ties forever, but who could have predicted that you would give us an opportunity to reconcile? If someday everything works out as we both hope, I owe you a toast."
Watching his elder brother stride away, Xie Xun gritted his teeth in frustration. He felt utterly aggrieved, as if his Second Brother had stopped just short of explicitly mentioning the word "wedding."
What an infuriating man!!!
Lin Helin also supported the idea of Fang Chuning accompanying Xie Jue on the mission. His reasoning aligned with Xie Xun’s. Within the delegation, Xie Jue couldn’t be allowed to wield unchecked authority. Someone had to balance him out. After all, Xie Jue was unquestionably brilliant. Precisely because of his intelligence, he had grown arrogant and self-assured since childhood. Having never faced significant failure throughout his life, he had developed a domineering personality that brooked no opposition. If he took reckless risks in Sannan, where no one could dissuade him, the consequences would be disastrous. After all, Sannan was their territory, not Beining’s.
Even if Xie Xun hadn’t insisted on Fang Chuning’s involvement, Lin Helin would have put forward the suggestion. To him, Xie Jue’s safety far outweighed the urgency of reclaiming Sannan.
Lin Helin was also fully dedicated to advancing the negotiations with the Beiman Priest Institute and temple matters. Xie Xun, however, had delegated this to the cabinet, deeming it unnecessary for him to intervene. He was wary of talking too much, fearing he might lose his temper.
The Priest Court wasn’t readily yielding, but Xie Xun was patient and refrained from pressuring them. Fengyu continued her routine of visiting the academy daily, where she taught the Beiman Noble Ladies lessons in etiquette and knowledge. Occasionally, she hosted banquets where the Beiman Noble Ladies exchanged with noblewomen from the Capital City to foster mutual understanding. The Beiman Noble Ladies, led by the Third Princess and Fourth Princess, often clashed with the noblewomen from Beining, led by Lin Yunong and others. Their differing temperaments and cultural customs caused several incidents. However, with Fengyu and Mrs. Fang present, conflicts never escalated significantly.
Reflecting on this, Fengyu herself felt that the cultural and habitual differences between the Beiman Noble Ladies and those from the Capital City made disputes almost inevitable, often leading to verbal quarrels.
Fengyu and Xie Xun both hoped for peace and coexistence between the two sides.
As for Xie Xun, his stance was clear: as long as Fengyu wasn’t wronged, that was all that mattered!